First, the LDA (Long Drivers of America) is very strict about using conforming clubs. The club heads must pass the USGA-specified COR (Coefficient of Resistance) test to ensure that the heads are not “hot” and don’t produce an extra trampoline effect. The shafts, too, have a length restriction based on the USGA maximum length requirement.

The reason is simple: the LDA wants to showcase the talent of the athletes, not the clubs. Rightly so.

It’s not unusual for a club face to deform after pounding lots of range balls. We call it “migration”, and sometimes it can result in a club becoming hot. Last year one of my clubs failed the COR/CT test, and it was pulled from competition. That’s one of the reasons I take back-up clubs with me to the competition, and why I usually designate one club as my practice club, and leave my “gamers” relatively untouched until the tournament. Migration is the reason stock drivers can become “tired” and under perform, and one reason to upgrade drivers every few years, especially for golfers who practice a lot. This year my No Brainer clubs passed without a hitch.

All my No Brainer heads are marked at 6 degrees loft, but I’ll let you in on a little secret – they weren’t.

John Greenwood measured the true loft of each club head, and I wound up with a 5 degree club, several 6 degree clubs (including my gamer), and a 7 degree. The winds in Mesquite are unpredictable, and the different lofts give me different options without having to change my swing.

In the morning it was cooler and we were hitting into the breeze. I started off with my 6 degree gamer, switched to my 5 degree for the last couple of balls, and hit my longest ball of that set.

But in the afternoon rounds the wind shifted to slightly behind us. I started with my gamer 6, but switched after a couple of balls to the 7 degree, and hit the two longest drives of the day. In the finals I stuck with the 7, even though the wind switched again and was swirling into us. Even into the wind the extra one or two degrees of launch angle gave me a better carry distance, and I’m glad I stuck with it. I advise most of my students to try to get a higher launch angle (14 to 16 degrees) because the extra carry will get them more distance, provided they can keep the trajectory flat. That’s one of the reasons I liked the No Brainer as soon as I hit it: the flat trajectory.

Steve Almo, who owns Geek Golf, wanted to create a “muscle” head driver to give golfers a better MOI (Moment of Inertia), lowering spin and increasing distance. Steve’s a cool guy, and he takes his design inspiration from classics of the past. It took him two years of design and testing to create the unique heel-to-toe sole weighting system he wanted, which puts more weight behind the club face. Not only did I get more distance, but the way he distributed the weight tightened up my dispersal pattern and improved my accuracy. In the finals I hit 5 of 6 balls in the grid. It’s also a cool orange color with white stripes, which Steve says was inspired by another “muscle” classic – the 1967 Camaro. I liked his club so much I gave him a smooch at the Worlds (he was suitably embarrassed).

If the club head is the muscle, the shaft is the engine.

John Greenwood loves to tinker with different shaft configurations, and we tested all sorts of shaft combinations. We trimmed anywhere from 1/2 inch to 1-1/2 inches off the shaft tip to make the shaft stiffer. We tried counter-weights in the butt-end of the shaft to change the kick-point (which affects trajectory and spin), and lead tape on the club head to change swing weight. John has a proprietary butt-insert he uses for my clubs to stiffen up the grip end of the shaft, and that’s what turned out to be the winner.

Chris Hilleary, owner of Aerotech, was great about helping us with equipment. They’ve got some interesting technology in place that helps them build lighter shafts (which helps with club head speed), with lower torque (which means less twist). That means the club face is more likely to be square at impact, more often. The new micro-thin carbon fiber they use is apparently more stable than graphite composites. I used the 60-gram shaft, which is 15 to 25 grams lighter than other long drive shafts, but I got more distance and better accuracy.

Let me add one more thing – I have no equipment sponsors, endorsement deals, or contracts.

I’m not beholden to any company, which leaves me free to choose the equipment that I think is best. I’m writing about John and Steve and Chris because they helped me, and I in turn was able to help them by providing feedback from all our testing. It’s a win-win-win for all of us, because they are the guys who are innovating and pushing the envelope. It you’d like to try their equipment, I’d appreciate it. Give John Greenwood a call. Simple as that.

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS

"Eric, This is superb instruction. Very clear and easy to understand. I have countless books and videos on golf instruction but you are the first person to explain these principles so clearly. I have been struggling for years with hitting from the top and now after watching just a couple of videos I have very clear idea of how to finally overcome it. Thank you very much." Don

"Eric - After the dozens of lessons I have had from accomplished PGA pros and the hundreds of hours I have spent practicing my swing I did not believe I would ever be able to overcome my obsession with the mechanics of the swing. Nor did I believe it was even possible to will myself into “the zone” and, potentially, stay there for long periods in spite of the chaos going on around me. Nor did I believe I could apply the concepts involved in the full swing to every part of my game with ease and immediate results. After reading The Five Keys to Distance and practicing your drills for a few months I now know I was wrong on all counts! Your methods are pure genius!" JM

Hi Eric,
"I wanted to send you a big thanks to your 5 Keys to Distance program. It has done two very important things with my golf. The first is that it has increased my ball flight carry by 10% in only a few weeks. And secondly and the most satisfying is it has given my whole golf game in particular my shots from scoring range (100 yards and closer to the green) pure control with my centered balance. So I can't thank you enough. Your balance drills I do without fail each morning before breakfast, and it will continue to be my daily routine. Without Balance The Club Can Not Swing!! Kind regards." Clayton P.

"Eric, I know you promised me 20 more yards with my driver. I'm actually getting more like 30 yards and sometimes even 50 more yards. But what you didn't mention is the added distance WITH EVERY CLUB IN MY BAG! I'm hitting all my irons at least one club longer, plus I'm really compressing the ball now. It's so much fun! You should tell everyone about this "extra" benefit from your program!" Gerry M.

"Eric, I have to tell you that I’m absolutely delighted with your drills. They make perfect sense to me, and I’m actually enjoying doing them because I can tell intuitively that they will make a real difference. I have for a long time avoided going to the range because I felt that I was simply reinforcing my mistakes. I am going to the range now with quite a different attitude because after only two sessions on the range I can see improvement already. I’m determined to keep up with the drills, and I can tell you that your presentation of them is excellent. I’ve had lots of lessons in the past from some of the best "swing gurus" in the world. But none of them have made a real difference to my swing like you have. I’m very excited now because I can already feel the difference. Best wishes" Jeff W.

“Eric, After several weeks of study and practice on the first section of BLAST the results have been OUTSTANDING! At age 73 my driver length ranged between 175 yards and 210 yards. Now with some extensive training from you the distances are ranging from 220 yards to 255 yards. The 255 yd. distance was achieved after working on the BALANCE, LEVERAGE & ARC WIDTH drills. Thank you for your help. I almost resigned myself to play from the seniors tee or give up golf!” Dick B.

"I just wanted to follow up with you regarding my progress while using your program. After just 3 months I am seeing a lot of new and exciting things happening to my golf swing. I find that I am hitting all of my clubs longer and more squarely than ever before. Every shot I hit now feels like it is hitting the sweet spot and is going very straight. My club head speed use to be about 90 mph now my club head speed is on average 110 mph. The main key for me was increasing my hip speed and reducing my grip pressure. My old swing was very arm dependent and now it feels like I can swing much faster with a lot less effort. Thank you again for your great series." Jorge O.

"Hi Eric, I recently purchased your instructional videos on Long Drive. They are the best golf teaching tool I have ever found. Your explanations of what to do and why are outstanding. I am a structural engineer and have a good understanding of the physics, mechanics and dynamics of the golf swing, so your explanations are especially meaningful to me. At age 63, I am still reasonably fit and strong, and your instructional videos have increased my average distance per club by 15 to 30 yards. Thanks for excellent videos!” Barry

Hi Eric,
"I ordered your book and DVD a few weeks ago and I'm getting a lot out of it! I'm going very slowly, but thoroughly. Thanks very much for writing it. I've read tons of golf books, but no one has ever put as much emphasis on balance and FEELING what the body is doing during the swing. The drills bypass the intellect and force the body to "get it" directly." Pete

"Eric, I received your book yesterday and have been reading it and highlighting ever since. Your book, DVD, and interviews are awesome!! Just what I have been looking for a very long time. I can tell already that I need to build up some stabilizing muscles in my body. Thanks again for your dedicated research and sharing this incredible book with your fellow golfers." Mike P.

“Just want to tell you that I've been doing the drills for a few weeks now, up to the swing arc drills, and am noticing much improvement at the range. I can't wait to take it out to the course. Thanks for simplifying golf instruction for me!" Rick P.

Dear Eric
"Instantly you made the game fun again. The consistency was amazing, both as to direction as well as trajectory and shot shape. Even the sound of the iron shots was much better. Thanks for an exciting round. I love working through all the steps and drills. Greens in regulation are now the rule and not the exception. More distance, less effort, more accuracy, no sore muscles, more fun." Ron G.

"Eric, best investment I've made so far in all the you know whats out there. I played nine and was nailing my tee shots like I haven't seen in ages. I haven't been more encouraged ever." Peter S.

"Eric, You have an uncanny ability to break down the components of the golf swing into simple terms with great clarity. I gain additional insight each time I read your book “5 Keys to Distance” and review this video. Thank you soooo much. When is your next book coming out? Please put me down for the first release." Orson L.